10m Es but nothing seen on 6m WSPR

In the end, 10m WSPR sprang to life later in the day, but only Gs seen on 6m WSPR. This was not the great Es opening I was (half) hoping for today.

UPDATE 2050z:   I think I might QSY from 6m to 630m (472kHz) overnight with my earth-electrode "antenna".

UPDATE 2106z:  QSYed from 6m to 630m and did a hard reset of the 10m beacon. Will be on 10m and 630m WSPR overnight. 6m was a dead loss today, so hoping for better luck on 630m despite the lower ERP on MF.

WSPR

Although I enjoyed WSPR long before my stroke, I have used this mode a lot in recent times.  My voice is still poor and I find speech modes tiring. WSPR is a one-way beaconing tool. It is ideal for antenna work and propagation experiments. I enjoy using it especially on 6m, 10m and 630m although I have used it on other bands too. You only need very low power. Even with just 5mW ERP from my earth-electrode "antenna" on 630m it has spanned over 1000km. On 10m my 500mW WSPR has been copied on every continent. WSPR is a good test of receiving systems too, especially on MF and LF.  If you have not tried WSPR, I can recommend it. Start by looking for WSPR signals and be sure to upload what you copy to WSPRnet.


UPDATE 1105z:   So far a very quiet morning on 10m and 6m WSPR.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/wspr .

FTSE 100 - NOT amateur radio

At the moment, the FTSE 100 UK share index is down 0.89% so far today and well down on its peak of over 7100 earlier in the year. The stock market is spooked by Greece, China and the concerns over rising interest rates. I can see this uncertainty being around for some time to come.

UPDATE 2048z:  In the end, the FTSE 100 ended the day well down by 1.88%. Somehow I think we have worse to come.

Still no Es on 10m and 6m WSPR here

It is now 0955z and, as yet, no Es at all seen on 10m or 6m WSPR. Steve VE7SL (see comments on an earlier post) reports that there was 6m propagation across the Atlantic from CT1 to K0 (Kansas) a few days ago. This was further south than the UK, but I have missed all the 6m transatlantic openings this summer. I think that WSPR (because of low activity) is not the best mode to catch fleeting openings , even though it should be.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Aug 19th 2015

Sunspot number has risen a bit to 44 (K=4) but 10m propagation is again "poor" .

Es on the way out?

So far today I have seen no evidence at all of Es (yet) on 10m and 6m WSPR. Things could soon change but so far it is very quiet on these bands on WSPR. On 6m I am seeing GDX by tropo out to 156km, but no Es.

I am beginning to think we are now coming to the end of the Es season. There may still be Es openings but not as frequent. Having said this, I have now made Es on 10m and 6m (a huge opening!) a racing certainty tomorrow. It is called "Sod's Law", HI.

UPDATE 2142z:   No Es seen here on WSPR all day and this evening on 10m and 6m.

Shack photo

This was me on the 2m FM net in East Cambridgeshire last night. There were only 3 of us on last night. These days I tend to use WSPR quite a bit as my voice is still pretty poor. We meet on 144.575MHz FM at 8pm local time most Mondays. Note, this is in the all-mode section. Newcomers are always welcome to join us. QSOs are never more than 1 hour and frequently much less.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Aug 18th 2015

Sunspot number has fallen even further to 20 today (K=3) and 10m is expected to remain "poor".

UPDATE 0845z:  No breakfast time Es on 10m WSPR or 6m WSPR today.  I have the feeling today will be quiet.

Stroke update

My cerebellum brain bleed was in September 2013.  This is nearly 2 years ago.

I am so fed up with my stroke symptoms, although I know I came off better than many. One person my wife knows was a teacher and only 49. He has been left very disabled. Likewise Michael Schumacher who, I understand, is a shadow of his former self since his head injury whilst skiing.

Me? Well I can still only take liquids in small sips, my voice is still very poor and I feel giddy all the time when on my feet. I still get exhausted doing physical or mental tasks taking over 15-20 minutes. My wife tells me I am far less tactful than I was: in the past I would have been more careful, whereas I tend to say it "as it is" nowadays and often regret it later. I blame this on my brain. Honestly, I have no wish at all to hurt anyone, but I know some of the things I have written have hurt others, which has never been my intention.

On the positive side I seem to be less tired than I was, but I still have a way to go. I now enjoy cheese again and I can drink (and taste) most liquids, albeit drink very slowly. I can eat most foods. The occasional beer is nice. I enjoy eating out again and can drive, although I find this tiring and needs lots of concentration.

I am not someone who gives up without a fight, but maybe some of these symptoms will always be with me?  I do hope not and so much want to be as I once was. I miss being fit.

It is no use complaining. Whatever happens, I intend to milk life for all I can manage whatever my state is.

Violence - NOT amateur radio

Violence must be carried out by very desperate people who feel they have no options left. In my mind, violence achieves lots of heartache and no lasting good.

In Bangkok there are lots of dead from a bomb at a central shrine and for what good? In Syria and Gaza, lots of people have been made homeless and are deeply saddened.  No, I am sure all the problems of this world could have peaceful solutions if only all sides were honest and open minded. It seems many don't want peaceful outcomes.

Media reports suggest as many as 27 people have been killed in Bangkok and many badly injured.